The better question is… what are you ALREADY doing?… do that!

• Bible Study: this could be a book or video. Many are available at the church office. 
• Book Study/Discussion: the sky’s the limit! Parenting, relationships, apologetics, interests, etc.
• Financial: Stewardship, tithing, Dave Ramsey, Financial Peace
• Health and Recreation: CrossFit, women’s/men’s fitness, run club, biking, golf, pickleball, tennis, disc golf, basketball, volleyball, soccer, bowling, skating, swimming, pool parties, playdates, dancing, etc.
• Prayer: guided prayer, prayer-base studies, etc.
• Support: Grief, divorce, addition, special needs, etc.
• Message Application Groups: A discussion guide will be provided each Monday morning that correlates with the previous Sunday’s message that includes a summary, application questions, and prayer prompts for you group. 
• Serve: Car care, Sunday morning prep, Sunday service leadership teams, outreach, so many more!

We encourage Small Groups to meet outside the church building in places where you like to spend your time. Some of the most common meeting places are:

• In a home
• At a coffee shop (Starbucks, Black and Brew, Concord, Hillcrest, Pressed, Mitchells, etc.)
• At the Library
• At a restaurant (Panera Bread North and South Lakeland have great spaces for a group, Walk-ons, Glory Days, 4Rivers, Ford’s Garage, The Joinery, The Food Court, Chick-fil-a, etc.
• At a park (The following have cover pavilions and seating- Christina Park, Bonnet Springs, Lk. Parker Park, Peterson Park, Dobbins Park, Barnet Family Park)

We have a variety of curriculum suggestions available to you at the bottom of this page and your can submit a book or study to be approved to [email protected]!

We encourage meeting weekly each semester in order to build genuine relationships.

You are welcome to choose to offer childcare at your Access Group. Often this is done in-home with the expectation that parents will split the cost of hiring a sitter. For more questions about childcare and additional options please contact the Access Groups Director at [email protected].

Ask! Make it part of your discussion whether in a group setting or individually. Here are some great questions to guide your conversation:

• How did you get connected to this Access Group?

• What are you most looking forward to in the group?

• Do you attend Access?

• What brought you to Access?

• Which campus do you attend?

• Have you ever been part of an Access Group before?

• What do you feel like God has been doing in your life lately?

• What areas of your faith are you hoping to grow in the coming months?

• What are you focused on in your life right now?

• Have you been through Next Steps Class? Do you remember what your personality type is or what your spiritual gifts are?

• Have you ever served on tTeam Access?

• How can I pray for you?

Everyone in your group will be at different places spiritually. The vision of helping them “take next steps” is not to get them to do everything at once, it’s to help identify where they currently are spiritually and offer a practical next step to help them grow.

Here are some examples of next steps you can share depending where a group member is spiritually:

• Invite them to attend a Sunday service with you.

• Share your personal story and what God has been teaching you.

• Share how the Next Steps Class can help them discover their purpose and invite them to attend.

• Invite them to consider being water baptized. Invite your Access Group to be there to celebrate anyone getting baptized.

• Share how you find time regularly to pray, worship, and read God’s Word, and encourage them to make their own plan for time with God.

• If they are ready to receive Christ, offer to pray with them.

• Encourage them to learn more about areas like tithing, the Holy Spirit, prayer, and spiritual warfare by watching past messages at access.tv.

It’s okay to not have all the answers. Thankfully, we can find guidance through prayer, God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit. Encourage them to spend time reading the Bible and praying. Also, let them know that you will do your best to get some information and get back with them at your next Access Group meeting. Do some personal research and call your Coach to get advice.

If you encounter a difficult situation within your Access Group, please know that you are not alone. If a member is going through a crisis, you can rally the group around them to provide prayer, encouragement, and support. Use wisdom and be sensitive to the situation. If you are unsure of what to do, don’t hesitate to ask your Coach. Also, you and/or the group member can contact the Access Group Director at [email protected] if needed.

We love hearing about lives that are changed through Access Groups. You can share your stories with your Coach or submit them at [email protected].

You can also share your own personal stories through social media and tag @accesschurch